Student Visa Integrity Alert November 2025

Critical notice for Education Providers and Agents from the Australia’s Department of Home Affairs (DoHA). 

DoHA has released an Integrity Alert after identifying active attempts to exploit the Student Visa Program which are impacting provider compliance, visa outcomes, and market reputation.

What’s Happening

• Fraudulent passport details being used to obtain COEs, including in universities and Go8 institutions.
• Taking advantage of the Evidence Level (EL) for gaining enrolments for non-genuine students.
• Agents incentivised by some providers to submit applications without proper documents.
• Highest activity currently seen in South Asian markets since Evidence Levels changes at the end of September.

It was noted by the DoHA that these practices undermine the sector and will lead to tougher scrutiny, slower processing, and serious compliance consequences for providers.

Here are the actions that education providers and agents should take:

• Assess whether students are genuine and pass the visa test
• Ensure timely, complete, and decision-ready visa applications
• Avoid submission of fraudulent documents
• Explain visa conditions and student visa compliance obligations
• Maintain strong screening, document verification, and agent oversight

Admission Checklist:

Identity Verification

• Collect passport with application
• Confirm passport details with PRISMS
• Cross-check passport origin with academic, financial, and employment documents
• Interview applicants, ideally via video, to confirm identity and intent

English & Financial Requirements

• verify English level
• and financial capacity before issuing a COE
  

Genuine Student (GS) Assessment

• Strengthen GS checks and interviewing
• Only enrol students with legitimate study intentions
• Reject students who present inconsistencies or risky behaviour

Monitor and act early:

• Monitor sudden enrolment spikes
• Lack of information at the application stage
• Requests for change to enrolment

Bottom Line

When the Department updated the assessment levels in September, it was obvious this shift would invite misuse. The industry saw it coming long before policymakers acknowledged it.

At this point, providers cannot rely on streamlined settings or assume the system will protect them. The responsibility has shifted clearly onto institutions, and those who take integrity seriously won’t just survive, they will win in the long run.

If you are interested in a free workshop, register your interest here https://forms.gle/zxBufPGgRWidTcjE9 

#StudyinAustralia #VisaCompliance #InternationalEducation #StudyAbroad #Educli